Search IsraCast:

Do the Palestinians hate the Jewish state more than they love their dream of a Palestinian homeland? That is the question amid the latest peace effort by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. The fact is, the Palestinians could have had their own state years ago, if they were only willing to accept the Jewish state in return.

President Shimon Peres is one of Israel's longest serving, and most respected of politicians, having served as both Prime Minister and President of Israel - the only politician to do so, to date. President Shimon Peres is one of Israel's longest serving, and most respected of politicians, having served as both Prime Minister and President of Israel - the only politician to do so, to date.

'President Elect Hassan Rouhani Will Seek Easing Of Sanctions, But He Alone Has No Authority To Halt Nuclear Project'

'U.S. President Barack Obama Must Stick by His Position that Sanctions Will Not be Lifted Unless Tehran Alters Nuclear Policy & Permits Full IAEA Inspection of All its Nuclear Sites'

Menashe Amir, a prominent Israeli expert who was born in Iran, has followed developments closely in that country for some fifty years. Amir has briefed diplomats in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Germany and Austria, as well as lecturing abroad on Iran. In addition, he is often interviewed by the international media. In light of the surprise election of Hassan Rouhani as Iran's new president, IsraCast analyst, David Essing, interviewed Menashe Amir.

The Altalena Affair was a violent confrontation that took place in June of 1948, during the War of Independence, between the newly-formed Israel Defense Forces and the Irgun (Etzel), a paramilitary Jewish group. The confrontation involved a cargo ship, Altalena, which carried weapons and fighters for the Irgun.

Israel has reacted coolly to two new developments in the Middle East - the surprise victory of 'moderate' cleric Hassan Rohani in Iran's presidential election, and the U.S. decision to supply weapons to Syria's rebels. It's still early days and it remains to be seen how the situations will play out.

Could the Bard's memorable lines also portend that two non-Arab countries, Turkey and Iran, will now embark on the course of the 'Arab Spring'. Will Iran follow the latest round of anti-government protests that have rocked Turkey? Ten days before Iran's upcoming presidential election on June 14th, tens of thousands of Iranian mourners flocked to the funeral of dissident cleric Ayatollah Jalaluddin Teheri in the town of Isfahan. It was described as the biggest anti-government demonstration against the 'dictator' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in recent years. The protesters also demanded the release of thousands of political prisoners who were slammed behind bars for demonstrating against the rigged election of 2009. That same political chicanery is happening again - the government has restricted the list of presidential candidates to supporters of the Khamenei regime. So how will Iranians who aspire to a more democratic society react to the 'election' of a new puppet to replace MuhammadAhmadinejad? Will they again take to the streets in Tehran and other urban centers to challenge the Ayatollahs, who are supported by Muslims in the rural regions of Iran?

Has Moscow finally got the message? Israel cannot and will not tolerate the deployment of Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft missiles in Syria. If Moscow will not deliver the system to President Bashar Assad's regime before 2014, Israelis can breathe easier. Those missiles, which would threaten civil and military aircraft flying over Israel, could be a real game changer. Therefore, Israel is not bluffing even if it means a dangerous confrontation with the Russians. (Prior to the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Israel ignored the Egyptian Army's surreptitious movement of Russian SAM anti-aircraft missiles into the Suez Canal zone in flagrant violation of the 'cease-fire in place'. When the Egyptians later launched their surprise attack they had an aerial umbrella in place that protected their ground forces crossing the waterway. The IDF paid a heavy price in blood when those missiles wreaked havoc on Israeli jets trying to assist the vastly outnumbered IDF soldiers on the eastern side of the Canal.) Moreover, an S-300 system in Syria could threaten any future preventative Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear weapons program as well as instigating both Hezbollah and Hamas in Gaza to step up their attacks on the Jewish state.

'Israeli Air Force Has Capability to Attack Any Target In Middle East'

IAF Commander Eshel: 'If Russia Goes Through With Delivery of S-300 Anti-aircraft Missiles To Syria, We Will Have Many Solutions - The Question Is What Price We Will Have To Pay'

If anyone has any doubts about Israel's determination to prevent Iran from developing A-bombs, two top Israeli generals have set the record straight. Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yitzak Ben Yisrael and Israel Air Force Commander Amir Eshel are two of the very few Israeli officials who know the full story of Israel's capabilities and intentions. It appears that they have made clear that Israel can and will strike Iran, if it tries to break out for the Bomb.

How can Israel avoid a further deterioration to an all-out war with Syria that could even involve Russia? Isracast analyst David Essing sees signs that Israel has been trying to forge a deal with Syrian President Bashar Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin that could forestall such a chain reaction that neither side desires.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will soon fly to Moscow for an urgent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the possible supply of sophisticated Russian SA-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Syria. Israel is deeply concerned about the lethal missiles that could not only shoot down Israeli aircraft flying over Syria and Lebanon but also many planes taking off from inside Israel. Netanyahu spoke with Putin recently by telephone and the Russian leader invited him to come to Moscow within the next two weeks. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has issued an ambiguous statement about Moscow not concluding any new weapons deals but 'is now completing supplies under the previous contracts that are air defense systems'.

On May 12, 1968 the Government decided to make the 28th of Iyar the symbolic holiday, Jerusalem Day, a day that symbolizes the continued historical connection of the Jewish People to Jerusalem. Thirty years later, this holiday became anchored in the law: On March 23 1998 the Knesset passed the second and third readings of the "Jerusalem Day Law", which determined that the date that Jerusalem was liberated during the 6-Day War was now a national holiday. On this day Israel marks the anniversary to the unification of Jerusalem and the liberation of the Temple Mount and the Western Wall.

Are Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu & U.S. President Barack Obama Collaborating On New Strategy For Taking On Syria and Iran? Analyst David Essing sees signs the two new-found allies have agreed that Israel will tackle the clear and present threat of the barbaric Assad while the U.S. will continue to pressure Iran.

The stunning victory of the Six Day War gave way to nation-wide enthusiasm and euphoria, even some of the Palestinian residents were excited and now hoped that better days had arrived.

As a result, this uplifting national spirit inspired many new songs that singers and military bands performed for troops all across the country - the Sinai, the West Bank, the Jordan Valley, and Golan Heights.

Danny Ayalon: ‘Half of Israel’s residents are Jewish refugees, or their progeny, who were driven out of Arab countries after they attack the Jewish state in 1948’

It is probably the least known fact in the long and vociferous Arab-Israeli conflict, but more Jewish refugees were forced to flee from their homes in the Arab countries than all the Palestinians who were forced to flee or left of their own volition, from the newly born state of Israel in 1948.

At a Jerusalem news conference, Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon announced that Israel insisted that the Jewish refugees be ‘a core element in any future negotiation or settlement to resolve the conflict’.